Newspaper baron Lebedev punches man in the face

THE RUSSIAN owner of two British newspapers, the Independent and the Evening Standard, has been caught on video punching a man in the face during a TV debate due to be aired in Russia today.

Alexander Lebedev, a former KGB agent who used a fortune made in banking to buy the anti-Kremlin paper Novaya Gazeta and the two London titles, was taking part in a discussion about the financial crisis.

Lebedev was clearly getting increasingly annoyed by another guest, Sergei Polonsky, head of the Mirax real estate company.

When Polonsky said he wanted to "stick one in the mouth" of Lebedev, the newspaper baron jumped from his seat and threw a right jab into Polonsky's face, knocking him off his chair. A second punch failed to connect.

Polonsky landed on the floor behind the elevated platform on which the guests were sitting. He didn't try to fight back but later posted photographs showing a cut on his arm and a tear in his trousers.

Lebedev said afterwards that Polonsky had been aggressive and threatening throughout the NTV debate. "In a critical situation, there is no choice. I see no reason to be hit with the first shot. I neutralised him."

Sadly, the news emerged too late to make this morning's Independent on Sunday. Readers of the London Evening Standard will doubtless find out tomorrow what Moscow is making of the billionaire's outburst. ·